This disclosure relates generally to footwear, and more particularly to footwear for outdoor use. Specifically, this disclosure relates to a genre of shoes called "camp shoes." Camp shoes are worn by backpackers once a suitable camp site is reached or established.
The extra pack-weight and irregular terrain of the outdoors require the use of relatively rigid and confining boots to help support the backpacker's foot and ankle during the daily hike. Backpack weight, rough terrain and the duration of the hike can contribute to foot discomfort. Thus, it is desirable to relieve the foot of the confines of a hiking boot as soon as practical after the hike has been completed and camp established.
Camp shoes should be collapsible and light-weight in order to minimize the size and weight of the backpack. Camp shoes should also provide adequate support and protection to help avoid foot injuries resulting from in-camp activities such as carrying water, gathering fire-wood, and taking short hikes to the latrine. It is also conceivable that camp shoes might be pressed into service to serve as emergency hiking boots in the event that the primary boots are lost or damaged or become otherwise un-wearable.
Sandals, tennis shoes, running shoes, house slippers and moccasins have all been used by backpackers as camp shoes. Taken alone, none of these types of footwear has features that provide the degree of packability, foot protection and support desirable in the optimum camp shoe.
It is one of the objectives of this disclosure to provide shoe features that allow a shoe upper to be both collapsible and supportive of the wearer's foot and ankle. Such features, when introduced into a light-weight shoe constructed for outdoor use, result in a superior shoe design for camp use by backpackers.